Archive of News and views - Antique Grandfather Clocks

After that I was totally inspired and me and the wonder kids from Simms Cross could do no more wrong and it wasn’t long before The Bedes stood on the brink of defeat at 48 for nine most of their runs being made up by this plucky kid that we just coudn’t get out . […]

I was fielding in my usual suicide position of silly mid on, when one of our bowlers (who shall be nameless at this time) let go a loose full toss. The Bedes batsman( whose name I never knew) smashed it with all his strength at me standing five yards away. I could neither jump, duck, […]

I hurtled my first ball down the pitch quicker than any ball I had hurtled before straight at the off stump. The next thing the ball was flying high in the air towards the long on boundary and Sconny came charging up the pitch as fast as his little legs would carry him […]

I don’t recall much about the first few overs except to say that I was still not out but struggling for a bit of form. Then a piece of good fortune, Pat Davenport came on to bowl and any nerves I was struggling with disappeared on the spot. I knew all about Pat, as […]

We had one more game to play after that against the National School and If we won we would go to the championship play-off against St. Bedes at the Widnes Cricket club ground. Win it we did and the stage was set Us and The Bedes, death or glory at Beaconsfield road. On the great […]

Wickets fell,but runs still trickled along,it was going to be very,very close. Then it came to the final crunch. The last pair were at the wicket and there was a crowd of people, mums,dads.teachers etc. surrounding the scorers when the message eventually came through that the Paddys were 44 for nine. “Right Shone ” Sammy […]

I couldn’t believe it the mighty Bedes ,Sconny Purcell and all, had been beaten by a bunch of Paddy kids from West Bank,we had another chance. What made it more exciting was that in six days time, we had to play that same bunch of Paddy Kids and we had to win! When we arrived […]

I just stood there, and for about ten seconds or so I must have died, then I wanted to be sick..” Sammy immediately said ” Alright Shone, get your self ready “, but for the first time in my life, I really didn’t feel like playing cricket. Not that it mattered much on the day […]

Half an hour later ,as the team got up to leave, I automatically got up with them. “Sit down Shone ” said Sammy “You are not going anywhere ” and off they went without me ” I had taught Sammy Butterworth all he knew about cricket and He had left me behind. I sat […]

I lived in Edwin Street at the time and was great friends with Pat Davenport who lived around the corner from me in Albert Road and who also played for St. Bedes.Every day he rammed home to me just how they they were going to murder us because playing for them would be one Sconny […]